I'm looking for hotels in Darwin for late April. The rate over the internet for the Holiday Inn looks good ($115), but there are 2 Holiday Inns - one is called the Holiday Inn Darwin and the other is the Holiday Inn Esplanade. The first one has an address on the Esplanade. Is one better than the other? Any ideas? Thanks.

Hi, SusaninToronto!

This won't help much, but it will at least get your thread to the top..... the Esplanade, on my map, is only three blocks long, so location-wise it won't matter a bit. Here's a map site which will tell you more: http://www.darwinholidays.com/darwinmap.html.

A few minutes ago, I looked at a hotel site for Darwin, but it only listed the Holiday Inn, Darwin, not the Holiday Inn Esplanade. Are you sure they're not the same place? Maybe Holiday Inn have just bought out one of the others on the map above, and have renamed it.

Good luck, anyway.

No, you're right, they do seem to be two different establishments -- one has 183 rooms, and the other 197. Funny how the Esplanade doesn't give its street number!

Your $115 rate seems good, assuming that you're talking Australian dollars. One of the sites I looked at is currently quoting $138.

I suspect Holiday Inn Darwin may be a new incarnation of Novotel Atrium Hotel. Reasoning follows:

Here is a website that features both Holiday Inn properties in Darwin:

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/...lsearchresults

If one clicks on the link embedded in the Holiday Inn Darwin description, one comes to this web page:

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/...drwte?irs=null

On that page there's a link to this page:

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/160/en/home

If one clicks on the What's New button, one arrives at this page:

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/...60/en/new.html

One bit of news on the What's New page is that Holiday Inn has taken over the Novotel Hindley Adelaide. Now that bit of news refers to ADELAIDE mind you.

Nevertheless it has me wondering if Holiday Inn Darwin is Property No. 9 on the map to which Alan provided a link, which appears in the legend as Novotel Atrium Hotel.

If the Hotel is indeed the Novotel Atrium then the address is 100 The Esplanade.

Anyone know much about the MGM Grand in Darwin. We originally tried to get rooms at the Crown Plaza but they were booked on our required dates so we booked the Grand Hotel.

Yes, the rate was $115 AUD, which is about the same in CAD - so it seemed quite good to me. I looked at several discount hotel sites, but that rate only seemed to be available if you booked directly with the Holiday Inn website (that's the one that Judy_in_Calgary references, I think). They had an even lower rate if you want to pay when you book, but that rate was non-refundable if you had to cancel. We're visiting my mother-in-law in Sydney and I'm worried that if she has any health problems (which is a possibility), we'll have to make make some changes to our itinerary. (In Sydney, we're staying at the Medina Coogee - mother-in-law is in a very small apartment in Maroubra and I think Coogee is fairly conveniently located. The rate there at that time of year was $151 CAD.)

Anyway, Judy, aren't you just freezing in Calgary? My sister lives there and she was complaining the other day about it. Mind you, it's almost as bad in Toronto - this past month has been about as bad as I can remember!

So now that we think it's the Novotel, I can do some more checking. I think I've seen reviews of the Novotel. Thanks!

OK, I did a bit of investigating on the web and the Holiday Inn Esplanade was formerly known as the Carlton Hotel. According to the websites, the rooms at the Holiday Inn Darwin have balconies, whereas balconies aren't mentioned at the Carlton. So that may be the deciding factor - I like the idea of a balcony, although if the Esplanade is nicer, maybe I'd go with that.

If I had a choice of accommodation venues in Darwin, I'd certainly choose a hotel on the Esplanade. Views across the water are terrific, very pleasant gardens all along the Esplanade and you are only a block from the shopping centre, restaurants etc.
MGM Grand is at Mindil Beach - You can walk into the CBD from here but fairly long walk. The big advantage is that Mindil Beach market is next door and well worth visiting - great food and interesting stalls.

Marg,

Thanks for the info about the Grand. Sounds like a good location with the market nearby if not that central to the CBD. We like to walk. DJE

We ended up booking the Holiday Inn Esplanade - the rate was only $98 AUD for the 2 of us, so it seems quite reasonable. We'll be there for 2 nights, then away 1 night (we're planning to go to Kakadu), then back 2 nights.

Marg, I think we'll miss the Mindil Beach market - from what I've read, it isn't held until May. From what I've read, it did look like fun.

Re Mindil Beach market - check when you get to Darwin, the market may be open. Last time we were there, I started on Greek food, worked my way though various Asian foods, then finished off with cream cake and coffee from the Nursing Mothers stall. Naturally, I started the diet the next day!
Hope you have a great holiday - Darwin is a really nice city.